Sounds from the Shelves

Join our hosts as they chat with Cara Shaw, who helps plan the Adult Murder Mystery events at the library. Learn all about how the story is created, and how the event happens.

In this episode we chat with one of our library board member, Steve Sokol, about the work the library board does for the library system.

0:00 Intro

0:45 Reader's Advisory - America's 250

8:00 Steve

11:00 What is the Library Board?

12:00 Role of Library Board

13:00 Term of a Board member

14:05 Volunteer or paid role

15:25 How does one get chosen?

16:15 Responsibilities of the board

19:50 Most challenging thing about being on the board

20:30 Favorite thing about being on the board

21:50 What role do libraries play in our community?

23:40 What is the best way for the public to help the library and the library board?

25:15 Hidden secret about libraries that you've learned

28:15 Anything you'd like folks to know about the library board

29:24 Favorite potato

33:00 Thank you and wrap up

Join our hosts as we chat with Christina Walsh, the manager of the Taylorsville branch, all about her branch and the fun happenings there.

Join our hosts as they talk about their own personal history with video games, and about gaming in the library in honor of National Video Game Day.

00:00 - Intro

Join our hosts as we talk about Summer Reading and the fun kick off parties we have each year.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

00:07 – Book Recommendations from Arianne

07:44 – Guest Introductions – Nyssa and Heide

08:30 – Summer Reading Kick-off Parties

14:14 – Changes to kick-off parties over the years

20:02 – Where are the kick-off parties this year?

20:25 – How do we decide what branches host the kick-offs?

21:35 – What goes into planning the kick-off parties?

23:17 – What planning happens in the branch for the parties?

24:23 – Favorite part of planning the kick-off parties

25:35 – What do you like about summer reading as a staff member?

30:12 – What do you like about summer reading as a patron?

33:12 – Potatoes!

37:27 – Outro

Reader's Advisory:

Kids

Higgins, Ryan. We don’t Eat our Classmates. Disney-Hyperion, 2018.

Skeers, Linda. Dinosaur Lady. Sourcebooks, 2020.

Watts, Sophia. Dig! Uncover the secrets of the past with Archeology. Wide Eyed Editions, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2025.

Hoena, Blake, and Paul Sereno. Everything Dinosaurs. Illustrated by Franco Tempesta, National Geographic Society, 2014. National Geographic Kids, link.gale.com/apps/doc/KZEPTZ210448287/NGMK?u=salt82334&sid=bookmark-NGMK&xid=a5efe18b&pg=4. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

Walking with dinosaurs: the movie. Los Angeles, CA : 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2013.

How to Catch a Dinosaur (Read Along). Hoopla, Dreamscape Media. Mar. 2026, https://www.hoopladigital.com/movie/how-to-catch-a-dinosaur-read-along-pete-cross/12409906

Teens

Riordan, Rick. The Sword of Summer. Disney-Hyperion, 2017.

The Secret of Kells. Directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, performances by Evan McGuire, Brendan Gleeson, Christen Mooney, Mick Lally, Michael McGrath, Liam Hourican, Paul Tylak, Paul Young, Buena Vista International, 2009.

“History of the Vikings. From 793 to 1035”. World Book Timelines, Apr. 2026, https://www-worldbookonline-com.ulc.idm.oclc.org/wbtimelines/viewtimelines?source=WB&timelineId=5926e794e4b0de2b380e73c1

How to Train your Dragon. Directed by Dean DeBlois, performances by Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, T.J. Miller, Dreamworks Animation, 2010.

The Book of Kells. Dublin, Trinity College Library, Ms. 58 (A.I.6) Lucerne: Faksimile-Verlag, c. 1990 xND3359 K4 B65 1990

https://lib.utah.edu/collections/rarebooks/exhibits/past/Ornamental.php 

Adults

Gong, Chloe. These Violent Delights. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2020.

Novik, Naomi. His majesty’s dragon. Del Rey Books, 2006.

Sanderson, Brandon. Tress of the Emerald Sea. Tor Publishing Group, 2023.

The Mummy. directed by Stephen Sommers, performances by Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Jonathan Hyde, Kevin J. O’Conner. Universal Pictures, 1999.

The Da Vinci Code. Directed by Ron Howard, performances by Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jurgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany, Jean Reno. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2006.

Join us as we talk to Leslie Schow, the manager of the Daybreak branch, all about her branch and the fun things they do.

Staff recommendations:

Join our hosts and our special guests, Sarah and Ellen, as we talk about the programs the library provides for adults with mental disabilities. 

Our hosts chat with Jennifer and Melody from the Patron Advocacy Workgroup. Learn all about what the workgroup does, and how we are trying to support our patrons in their interactions with the library.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:42 - What is the Patron Advocacy Workgroup?

02:40 - What were the biggest achievements of PAW last year?

10:14 - What is your focus for this year?

13:07 - How long has PAW been a workgroup?

14:06 - Has the library's strategic plan changed your plans?

16:26 - Potatoes!

20:07 - Anything else you want to mention?

21:38 - Outro

Join our hosts as they talk about Public Domain Day, what it is about, and what materials have joined the public domain this year.

Learn More about Public Domain and Copyright:

Learn more about Public Domain Day and everything that entered the Public Domain on the Duke Law School website: https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2026/

You can also read a brief history of copyright in the US from the US Copyright Office: https://www.copyright.gov/timeline/

Books on copyright and public domain:

The copyright book : a practical guide by William S. Strong

Intellectual property: a very short introduction by Siva Vaidhyanathan

The public domain : find and use free content for your website, book, app, music, video, art, and more by Stephen Fishman

Time stamps:

Learn more about the West Jordan library with Vern Waters and Jennifer Flake.

00:00 - Intro

Full list of Reader's Advisory books:

History of West Jordan by Bernarr Furse

      The only item I could find about the city and its history.

Salt a World History by Mark Kurlansky.

      The way salt shaped civilization from the beginning. Wars have been fought over it, the taxes on salt secured empires across the world, and also inspired revolution.

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.

      Why and how did Eurasians conquer, decimate or displace the people of the Americas, Africa and Australia. Instead of the reverse. Telling the story of human history and the environmental factors responsible for of all the worlds people.

The hobbit and the Fellowship of the rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.

      Hobbits of course! Adventure, Wizards and magical rings. People that like potatoes!

Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White.

      Because it is helpful, it once helped me get a job, and it has the humor of E.B. White

I Still Dream about You by Fannie Flagg

      The absurdity and dark humor.

Should I Share My Ice Cream by Mo Willems

      Because learning to share is super hard and Mo Willems shows that in a funny and amazing way.

Skulls : an exploration of Alan Dudley's curious collection by Simon Winchester.

      Because it is full of amazing pictures of animal skulls. Tells the rich and fascinating story of skulls, both human and animal, from every perspective imaginable: historical, biographical, cultural, and iconographic. Presenting details about the parts of the skull (including the cranium, the mandible, the shape and positioning of the eye sockets, and species-specific features like horns, teeth, beaks and bills), information about the science and pseudoscience of skulls, and a look at skulls in religion, art and popular culture, his stories and information are riveting and enlightening.

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

      I just love how Anne Shirley is written! She's such a quirky girl, who definitely had ADHD (which is so relatable to me).

The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater.

      The author has such a unique style of storytelling. The blend of magical realism and character development is superb! It was the series that got me through the pandemic.

Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell.

      This book is written in ballad form and is just so good!

Weyward by Emilia Hart.

      Female resilience against abuse, it was one of those books that is rage-inducing but a deliciously cathartic ending.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein

      Because of its epic story that I've loved since I was a kid,

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

      Les Mis in particular is a favorite as it was a favorite of my grandfather that passed away when my mother was little. The first time I read it, it was his copy that he took notes in and I have loved it ever since.

A Witch's Guide to Burning by Aminder Dhaliwal

      Because it has beautiful and unique art.